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41.6% of Gujarat's kids stunted, finds Unicef study

[email protected] (Agencies)
March 22, 2016

Gujarat, Mar 22: Gujarat is battling malnutrition, with around 10.1% children in the state being grossly underweight and 41.6% of children showing stunted growth.

unicef

These are the findings of the Rapid Survey on Children, a nation wide sample survey of over one lakh households, conducted by Unicef, the report of which was accepted by the Ministry of Women and Child Development. The report suggests over 41.6% children in Gujarat are stunted and 18.3% are severely stunted, for their age. The report 'Rapid Survey on Children' surveyed 1.05 lakh families in the country and met 2.10 people, including 90,000 children in the age group of 0 to 4 years.

The revelation underscores how malnutrition continues to torment Gujarat, an economically progressive state whose development model is to be replicated across India by the Union government.

Senior officials of the women and child development department, say that the government -including chief minister Anandiben Patel -refused to buy into the report, saying there has been a sharp decline in the number of malnourished children in the state.

According to the survey, 41.6% of children in Gujarat are stunted. Some 18.3% of the state's kids are categorized as being 'severely stunted'. The survey also found that 33.6% of children were underweight for their age, with 10.1% being categorized as `severely underweight'. The number of severely underweight children is 11.3% in rural areas and 8.2% in urban areas. Among scheduled tribes, the proportion of severely underweight children is 13.8%.

Sources said this proportion of stunted children is greater than the national average which is 38.80% in India. Similarly, the proportion of underweight children in the country is 29.40% while in Gujarat it is 33.50%.

The socio-economic review 2015-16 had revealed that 1.47 lakh of the 43 lakh children at anganwadis in the state were found to be suffering from severe acute malnutrition (SAM).

Also according to replies tabled in the state assembly, there are 1.97 lakh malnourished and 24,762 SAM children in 46 talukas of five districts in the state -Banaskantha, Patan, Navsari, Junagadh and Kheda.

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News Network
December 15,2025

Mangaluru police have arrested a 27-year-old NRI on his return from Saudi Arabia in connection with an Instagram post allegedly containing derogatory and provocative remarks about the Hindu religion, officials said on Monday.

The accused, Abdul Khader Nehad, a resident of Ulaibettu in Mangaluru, was working in Saudi Arabia when the post was uploaded, police said.

A suo motu case was registered at the Bajpe police station on October 11 after an allegedly offensive post circulated from the Instagram account ‘team_sdpi_2025’. Police said the content was flagged for being provocative and derogatory in nature.

During the investigation, technical analysis traced the Instagram post to Nehad, who was residing abroad at the time, a senior police officer said. Based on these findings, a Look Out Circular (LOC) was issued against him.

On December 14, Nehad arrived from Saudi Arabia at Calicut International Airport in Kerala, where he was taken into custody on arrival. Police said further investigation is underway.

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News Network
December 19,2025

Mangaluru: In a decisive move to tackle the city’s deteriorating sanitation infrastructure, the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) has announced a massive ₹1,200 crore action plan to overhaul its underground drainage (UGD) network.

The initiative, spearheaded by Deputy Commissioner and MCC Administrator Darshan HV, aims to bridge "missing links" in the current system that have left residents grappling with overflowing sewage and environmental hazards.

The Breaking Point

The announcement follows a high-intensity phone-in session on Thursday, where the DC was flooded with grievances from frustrated citizens. Residents, including Savithri from Yekkur, described a harrowing reality: raw sewage from apartments leaking into stormwater drains, creating a "permanent stink" and turning residential zones into mosquito breeding grounds.

"We are facing immense difficulties due to the stench and the health risks. Local officials have remained silent until now," one resident reported during the session.

The Strategy: A Six-Year Vision

DC Darshan HV confirmed that the proposed plan is not a temporary patch but a comprehensive six-year roadmap designed to accommodate Mangaluru’s projected population growth. Key highlights of the plan include:

•    Infrastructure Expansion: Laying additional pipelines to connect older neighborhoods to the main grid.

•    STP Crackdown: Stricter enforcement of Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) regulations. While new apartments are required to have functional STPs, many older buildings lack them entirely, and several newer units are reportedly non-functional.

•    Budgetary Push: The plan has already been discussed with the district in-charge minister and the Secretary of the Urban Development Department. It is slated for formal presentation in the upcoming state budget.

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News Network
December 20,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 20: The Mangaluru City Police have issued a detailed traffic advisory ahead of the inaugural ceremony of Karavali Utsava, which will be held at the Karavali Utsava Ground on Saturday.

The festival will be inaugurated at 6:00 pm by Dakshina Kannada District Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao. Cultural and public programmes will be held at the venue every evening and will continue until January 2.

According to City Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy, parking of vehicles is strictly prohibited on both sides of the road from Lalbagh to Karavali Utsava Ground. Visitors are requested to park their vehicles only at designated parking areas.

To help the public, traffic signboards and parking guidance flex boards have been installed along the routes leading to the venue. The police have urged commuters and visitors to follow these instructions to ensure smooth traffic movement.

Designated Parking Locations

•    Urwa Market Ground – Cars
•    Gandhinagar Government School (near Press Club) – Two-wheelers and cars
•    Ladyhill Church parking area – Two-wheelers and cars
•    Canara School Ground, Mannagudda – Two-wheelers and cars
•    Thimmappa Hotel premises – Two-wheelers and cars
•    Scout and Guide Bhavana premises (behind Karavali Utsava Grounds) – Two-wheelers
•    Urwa Market Road – Two-wheelers
•    Hat Hill Road – Two-wheelers

The police have appealed to the public to cooperate by following traffic rules and parking guidelines to avoid inconvenience during the festival.

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